Shear-type wire stripper



Feb. 25, 1964 H. J. DE BRUIN 3,122,037

SHEAR-TYPE WIRE STRIPPER Filed Dec. 18, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l #il /4 *W Feb. 25, 1964 H. J. DE BRUIN sHEAR-TYPE WIRE STRIPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DeC. 18, 1961 R m Www/4W pmx/w wg/f 6 /a/a H J// a ww M United States Patent 3,122,037 SHEAR-TYPE WIRE STRIPPER Hugo J. de Bruin, Esmond, 1li., assigner to Ideal Industries, Inc., Sycamore, 1li., a corporation of Delaware Filed Bec. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 159,961 '7 Qlaims. (Cl. 81--9.5)

This invention relates to a combination Wire cutter and stripper and is particularly concerned with a handoperated device of the type described, although many, if not all, of the features of the invention can also be used in other types of strippers, for example benchmounted strippers and/or power-operated units and the like.

A primary purpose of the invention is a combination wire stripper and cutter of the type described `which is simple in construction and easy to operate.

Another purpose is a device of the type described having improved means for aligning the wire prior to cutting and stripping.

Another purpose is a device of the type described having means for removing any insulation slugs left after the stripping operation.

Another purpose is a combination wire stripper and Wire cutter in which the length of the stripped Wire may be varied.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of the stripper of this invention,

lFIGURE 2 is an enlarged front view showing the stripper in the closed or stripping and cutting position,

FIGURE 3 is a section along plane 3-3 of FIG- URE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a section along plane 4 4 of FIG- URE 3,

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the stripper in the closed or stripping and cutting position,

FIGURE 6 is an end view, similar to FIGURE 5, showing the stripper in the open position,

FIGURE 7 is a section along plane 7--7 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the Wire stop.

In the drawings, I have shown a hand stripper and cutter, but it should be understood that the invention may be applied as well as to bench stripper, such as shown in US. Patent No. 2,239,755 issued April 29, 1941.

The stripper may include a pair of frame halves 1t) and 12, which are pivoted generally about one longitudinal edge so that together they form a pair of jaws that open and close. The frame halves may be somewhat rectangular and may have outstanding portions 16a and 12a which are pressing or gripping surfaces. A shaft 14 may run longitudinally within the trame halves and the frame halves may be pivoted about the shaft. The shaft 14 may extend through the opposite ends of the frame halves and may be secured thereto by a suitable spring lool; washer or the like 16 and an interior Washer 17 which are on opposite sides of a bushing 19.

Mounted within the frame halves are a pair of cutter 3,122,637 Patented Feb. 25, 1964 blades 18 and 2G, which are pivotally mounted to the shaft 14. The blades 18 land 26 may be biased in opposite directions by a spring 22 which is coiled around the shaft 14 and has end portions 24 and 26 which are suitably anchored to the blades. The cutter blades are biased by the spring 22 against the frame halves and maintain the entire unit in an open position. The precise construction of the cutter blades may vary considerably and what is essential is that they have cutting edges which can cut through insulated Wire such as is used, for example, in the aircraft or missile industries. The invention should not be limited to this type of wire but it is generally usable with smaller wire sizes.

The blades 18 and 2t? are pivotailly mounted on a bushing 28 which is slideable on the shaft 14. The blades may be slidably moved along the shaft when they are positioned away from the frame halves 10 and 12. The interior surfaces of the frame halves 10 and 12 may have a plurality or series of adjacent grooves or serrations 30 which are generally parallel to the blades, as shown in FIGURE 4. The outside edges of the blades 1S and 2G may be suitably bent or otherwise formed, as at 32, to be received within the grooves or serrations 30. In this way, as the blades are biased in an outward direction by the spring 22, the outside edges of the blades will be positioned Within the grooves 30 and the'aXial position of the cutter blades will be fixed Within the frame halves. When it is desired to move the cutter blades to vary the length of the stripped wire, the blades may be pinched together, for example by inserting needlenose pliers or the like in holes 34, shown in FIGURE 7. Once the blades are moved away from or moved out of the grooves or serrations, they may be slid along the shaft 14.

An alternative Way of moving the cutting blades is to thread shaft 14 and internally thread bushing 28. A screWdrive-r slot or other means may be provided in the end of shaft 14 to turn the shaft and thus to rotate the bushing relative to the shaft.

At one end of the frame halves there are a pair of stripper blades 36 and 38 which are suitably mounted to the frame halves, for example by rivets or the like 40. The stripper blades 36 and 38 may have opposed cutting edges with suitable wire holes 42 and 44. As is conventional, the size of the holes 4Z and 44 will just fit the wire to be stripped and the cutting edges of the blades will cut through the insulation surrounding the Wires. The details of the stripper blade construction may vary considerably, and are not essential to the invention. The stripper blades move with the frame halves and hence with the cutting blades such that when the wire is cut the stripper blades will simultaneously cut through the insulation.

Mounted adjacent the stripper blades is a wire guide indicated generally at 46 md shown in detail in FIG- URE 8. The wire guide 46 has an elongated slot 4% at one end and a screw or the like 50 may be inserted through the slot to hold the guide to the bottom frame half 12. The slot 4S makes the guide adjustable. The guide has a pair of arms 52 and S4 which extend along opposite sides of the stripper blades and are spaced apart suiciently to accommodate the stripper blades when they move together to strip the Wire. The arms 52 and 54 have generally V-shaped notches 56 and 58 at their outward ends so that a wire may be moved laterally into 3 the notches until it is aligned with one of the holes 42 and 44 in the stripper blades. ln this way, a wire to be stripped may be properly aligned with the holes in the stripper blades so that the wire will not be cut by the blades.

At times slugs of insulation which have been stripped olf of a Wire may get caught in the area between the cutter blades and the stripper blades. ln order to knock out or remove these insulation slugs, a kicker, indicated generally at 6l?, has been provided. The kicker hasa portion 62 which pivots in a hole 64 in the bottom frame half l2. The kicker has a portion 66 which extends along the back of frame half 12 below and to one side of the shaft 14 and is freely movable between the lower cutter blade Ztl and frame half 12. The kicker also has anupstanding portion 68 which extends upwardlyV and outwardly from the bottom back of the frame half 12 to the position indicated in FIGURE 6. If insulation becomes jammed in the area between the stripper blades and the cutter blades7 downward movement ofthe entire device will cause the portion 68 to cross over this area and to push any insulation caught therein out of the open jaws. The kiclter is pivotal within the bottom frame half and may be positioned merely by moving the device.

The use, operation and function of the invention areY as follows:

Shown and described are improvements in a combination wire stripper and cutter. In order to strip a wire using this device, the wire is rst pushed into the open jaws and against the wire guide 46. The guide will properly position the wire so that the stripper blades will cut through the insulation. The length of the stripped wire or the Shiner is determined by the spacing between the stripper blades and the cutter blades. Once the wire is properly positioned, the frame halves are moved toward each other, for example by a one-hand As the frame halves come together the cutterV squeeze. blades 18 and 2th will cut the whe and the stripper blades 35 and 38 willrcut the insulation on the Wire.V Y The frame halves or jaws are held in the closedeposition Whilevthe wire is pulled out. In this way, the strippedotf slug of insulation will be left within the closed jaws and the stripped wire will be pulled free. l

The jaws can` then be Vopenedrand the stripped slug of insulation removed by turning the frame halves so that the opening isY at the bottom. lf the insulation slug does-not readily fall out, the device maybe shaken in suchV a manner that the kicker will` move across the space between'the cutter blades and stripper blades and push any piece of insulation out. The kicker may be returned to its original position by turning the device right-sideup as the kicker is pivotal within the frame halves.

It is not always necessary to -cut the wire while stripping it. If the precise length of stripped Wire is not important, the Wire may be positioned short of 'Vthe'cutter blades.V Y i Of importance is the wire guide 46. ltY is adjustable and is arranged to properly position a wire so that the insulation only Vwill becut by the stripper blades 36 and 38.Y The'general'ly V-shaped notches of the guide'are arranged to position the wire portion of the insulated wire directly in alignment with one of the holes 42 and 44. It is preferredVt-hat `the guide have portions .extending on both Vsides of the stripper blades to prevent misalignment.

It is important to be able to move the cutter blades relative to the stripper blades in order to precisely set theV length ofthe stripped end of the wire. In this connection it is also important to have anV interlock to hold the cutter Vblades in position once the length of the stripped wire has been determined. As shown herein, there are serrations or grooves in the interior surfaces of the frame halves and the outer edges of the cutter blades are formed so that they will tit into and be locked by the serral The precise makeup of the cutter blades and stripper blades may vary considerably and may be conventional. The device shown is arranged for manual cutting and stripping, but the important features of the invention may have equal application in a bench stripper or power-operated stripper. The particular type of wire being stripped and cut may vary considerably. The Wire may be stranded, braided or any other type of Wire covered with a layer of insulation. The device has particular application where smaller size wires are being stripped and where the length of Shiner must be accurate.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there are many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto within the scope of the following claims.

l claim: Y l. In a combination wire stripper and'cutter, a shaft, a pair of frame halves pivotal on said shaft, Y

a pair of cutter blades positioned Within the frame halves and pivotal on said shaft toward a Wire cutting position, means normally biasing said cutter blades and frame halves to an open position, Y

a pair of insulation stripper blades arranged to move with the frame halves toward a cutting position, said cutter blades being axially spaced from said stripper blades and slideable on said shaft to vary spacing, means for lockingV said cutter blades -in a fixed axial position on said shaft, andan adjustable wire guide for aligning the wire to be stripped with the stripper blades, said wire guide having portions extending on each side Vof and adjacent said stripper blades. i 2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the interior surfaces of said frame halves have a plurality or adjacent shallow grooves, said cutter blades being normally biased to have their outerV edges positioned in said grooves.

3. VThe structure of claim 1 further characterized by Y means, movablerwithin said trarne halves, for removing insulation slugs after they are stripped rom awire.

4. The struct-ure of claim 3 furtherV characterized in that the means for removing insulation slugs include an e opstanding wire adapted to move between the cutter i blades .and the stripper blades and in a direction'generally normal to the position of a vv-ireV when bei-ng stripped.

5. In a combination manual wire s'tripper'and cutter, a pair of frame halves, a shaft positioned within said frame halves with said frame halves being pivotally mounted on said shaft, the interior surfaces of said frame halves having serrations extending in a direction generally perpendicular to saidY shaft, a pair of `cutter Iblades positioned within the fra-mc halves and pivotally and slidably mounted on said Y shaft, Y a spring arranged to bias said cutter blades in opposite directions into contactV with said frame halves, said spring holding said frame halves open and holding each'of said blades in axial locking relationshipfwith said serrations, a pair of insulation stripper blades mounted to said iframe halves Vfor movement therewith, i said cutter blades being axially spaced from said stripper'blades and being slideable along said shaft to 5 ltween said cutter blades and stripper 1nlades and is arranged 4to remove any insulation slugs caught hereiu a-t the end of the stripping operation, said kicker being secured to said frame halves and being freely movable therewithin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,632,004 Hamptcn June 14, `1927 6 Brenizer July 6, 1937 Edwards et al June 14, 1938 Andreu Feb. 14, 1950 Cook Feb. 10, 1955 Scharf July 31, 1956 Moeller Jan. 7, 1958 Sladek July 22, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 7, 1960 

1. IN A COMBINATION WIRE STRIPPER AND CUTTER, A SHAFT, A PAIR OF FRAME HALVES PIVOTAL ON SAID SHAFT, A PAIR OF CUTTER BLADES POSITIONED WITHIN THE FRAME HALVES AND PIVOTAL ON SAID SHAFT TOWARD A WIRE CUTTING POSITION, MEANS NORMALLY BIASING SAID CUTTER BLADES AND FRAME HALVES TO AN OPEN POSITION. A PAIR OF INSULATION STRIPPER BLADES ARRANGED TO MOVE WITH THE FRAME HALVES TOWARD A CUTTING POSITION, SAID CUTTER BLADES BEING AXIALLY SPACED FROM SAID STRIPPER BLADES AND SLIDEABLE ON SAID SHAFT TO VARY SPACING, MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID CUTTER BLADES IN A FIXED AXIAL POSITION ON SAID SHAFT, AND AN ADJUSTABLE WIRE GUIDE FOR ALIGNING THE WIRE TO BE STRIPPED WITH THE STRIPPER BLADES, SAID WIRE GUIDE HAVING PORTIONS EXTENDING ON EACH SIDE OF AND ADJACENT SAID STRIPPER BLADES. 